Check receiver and indicator



(No Model.)

E. C. MEHLBGK.

CHECK RBGEVER AND INDIGAJIOR.

No. 425,6'86. Patented Apr. 15,1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD (l. MEHLECK, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

CHECK RECEIVER ANAD INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATIQN-frming part of Letters Patent No. 425,686, dated April 15,1890.

Application tiled July 25, 1889. 'Serial N0.318,642. (No model.)

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that l, EDWARD C. MEHLECK,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Al-A vide an automatic checkreceiver and indicator that will Sound van alarm, open the money-drawer,displayl .to vthe customer the amount he has-paid, and place the cheeksin separate compartments corresponding to the amount of the Sale Iattain these objects by the mechanism -villustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation; lfig. 2, a sectionalong the line (ab on Eig. l. Fig. is a section f y on Fig. 2; Fig. .4,a section f2 y2 on Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a view of the moneydrawer andcash-receiver, showing the manner of locking the same.

Similar letters refer to si milar parts throughout the several views.

A represents a cabinet, usually constructed of wood or other suitablematerial. To the frame h, at the upper front part of the cabin et, (seeFig. 2,) extending across the front of the cabinet, is attached bysuitable hinges the The swinging face B is a flat piece of tin, glass,or other solid substance, extending downward a short distance from thetop of the cabinet A and partly or quite the whole width of saidcabinet. Along the lower edge of the swinging face B, l paint or inarkfigures, as shown in Fig. 1and separate the figures or combination offigures by mcansof narrow thin pieces of glass, or metal, or othersubstance, extending forward from the face B. I place a strip-of glass Cacross the face of the surface l, suicient in width to coverthetigures,and .attach the same by an adhesive subl -f-tance to the saidnarrow pieces of glass ex tending forward from the face ll. l have thusformed at the lower edge of the swingnig surface ll a series of slots,each indicated by a ligure or combination of figures readilydistinguished through a transparent covering C. Immediately beneath thesurface ll is placed the ledge X, extending outward a short dis tancefrom the face B when in its vertical position. Upon said ledge issecuredby suitable fastening the metal plate Y, which extends backwardfrom the-face of the cabinet, and is bent at rightangles to thelcdgeashort distance in the rear of the face ll when that face isin a verticalplane. 'lhrough the hori- Zontal portion of the plate Y, and in the rearof the ledge X, is placed a series of slots corresponding in position tothose formed by the glass divisions in front of the surfacell in such amanner that a check placed in one of the divisions at the lower edge ofthe surface ll, rest-ing as it would on the horizontal portion of theplate 'Y when the surface l occupies a vertical position, would fallthrough the corresponding slot in the plate Y when the surface B isforced backward from the front of the cabinet, as shown in dotted linesin Fig.

Extending across from one side of the cabinet to the other, in the rearof the ledge X and extendingdownward below it, I pla-ce a strip of woodlj', leaving a space between theA -front of the cabinet and said strip land immediately beneath a series of slots W in the plate Y, throughwhich space a check passing through slots W will fall. To the surface ofthe strip l, toward the front of the cabinet, l place a 4series ofvertical projections, extending across the space between 'the strip l?and the front of the cabinet, corresponding to the divisions between theslots lV in the plate Y.

To the baro, secured to the sides of the cabinet A and extending acrossit in the rear of the face of the cabinet, is secured bysuitable hingesl the oscillating hopper l, so con- Vstructed that the forward edge ofitsl lower horizontal portion will rest in contact with the interiorface of the cabinet when it is in its normal position, as shown in fulllines in lfig. 2; but when said hopper is moved on its hinges l itsupper portion n comes into contact with the face of the cabinet and thelower portion withdraws therefrom, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2.The hopper'l is TOO of the hopper E, which remains unpainted and hasupon it simply the figures in black,

-. corresponding tothe numerals on the divis- Vdo ion of the lower edgeof the surface B, in the same vertical piane and just above it. Thuswhen a check is placed in one ofthe divisions on the lower edge of theswinging surface B,

and -that surface is pressed backward-,from

the front of the cabinet, the check will fall through the slot in the'plate Y, `be conducted between the partitions along the strip P", willfall into the corresponding' compartment -in the hopper E, and will bedisplayed by forming a white background behind the transparent surfacecontaining the darker painted figures, which are the-,same as those onthe lower edge of the swinging surface B in the position which'the checkfirst occupied To the rear of the swinging surface B, I attach thehorizontal bar c, which extends backward from the rear of the surface Band carries the grooved stud ft', which issecured to the end of thevertical bar d4 which vertical bar (l is attachedby means of theconnecting-bars c c to the horizontal portion of the hopper Il. The bard is right angle int form, having a lower horizontal portion ex tendingtoward the rear lof the cabinet and connected near its horizontal end,farthest from the vertical partof the bar, with a spiral spring "S,which spiral spring S is secured to -the horizontal board S beneath thehopper E.

Said board S extends across the entire cabinet in the rear of the faceof the cabinet.

To the rear of the strip P extends the horizontal guide-bar o',containing the stud 't and provided'withthe slot in the end of, the barbetween the stud andl the end of the bar,

through which the vertical portion of the bar,

d passes and comes in contact with the stud t. By means of thisarrangement of the horidotted lines in Fig. 2.

zontal banc, attached to the surface B, carry- .ing the stud o at4 theend of the bar tl, the

said bar d is forced upward by the movement of the surface B-backward,as shown by the Forcing the bar d upward causes the horizontal portion7i', of said Abar t0 be forced lupward and backward from the front ofthe cabinet, which draws backward the lower portion of the hopper E andcauses the upper portion o of said hopper to come into contact with thesurface ofthe cabyinet, thus allowing the check or checks contained inthe compartment or compartments of the hopper E to fall downward througha series of slots in the bottoni board S inte'the check-receiver R ofthe money-drawer I), and

at the same time 'the check passes through the slot \V of the plato Y,alongr the division of thedrawer upwardly.

on the strip P', rests upon the upper surface l fn. of the hopper E andis retained there until the resiliency of the spring S causes theswinging surface B and the hopper E to resume their normal position,which occurs immediately upon the force being removed from the surfaceB. The check then passes into t-he hopper E and is displayed.

' For the purpose of causing an alarm to be made at the time the amountof the sale is displayed, I place the battery F on the bottom board S atthe rear of the cabinet and connect it by suitable wires to theelect-ric bell Il, secured to the interior rear surface of the cabinet.

To the bar c, attached to the swinging surface, I place a metal strip s,placed in such a position that when the surface B is pressed backwardthe strip s will come in contact with the metallic strip G.

The metallic strip G is connected by means of a wire to one of the polesof the battery F. The metallic strips isconnectcd by means of a wire tothe electric bell H. Thus when the metallic strips G and s are broughtin contact an electric circuit is formed through the bell and they comethus in contact, when the surface B is pressed backward to allow thechecks to fall through the slots in the plate Y, and an alarm isimmediately given by theririging of an electric bell.

In order to open the money-drawer, I attach to the rear of the surfaceB, at each end thereof, the horizontal inwardly-projecting bars Z Z, tothe end of each of which is attached the chain .I J, extending downwardand :toward the rear of the cabinet, and to the lower end of each chainis attached the rear endof the dog L, the dog L being secured by a boltpassing through it near its opposite end to the side of the cabinet. Theend of the dog L, to which the chain J .i is attached, is in vcontactwith the end of the slot N in the top of the `side` of the drawer nearits rear end. By means of this arrangement, by pressing backward thesurface B, the bars Z are raised, litting the dog L out of the 'slot Ninthe sides of the money-drawer, and the spring O in the rear of themoney-drawer forces forward the money-drawer. The money-drawer D isplaced beneath the bottom board S and opens outwardly from the front ofthe cabinet, sliding backward and forward' in the opening made for thatpurpose.

lThe drawer I) is divided by a transverse partition U, separating thedrawer into two sections forward and rear section. 'lfhe forward sectionis used for containing the money, and is divided into suitablecompartments or receptacles' for that purpose. The roar section is thecheck-receiver, and is divided into a series of compartments by means oflongitudinal partitions extending from the bottom On the interiorsurface of the back of thc check-receivci-I paint or mark the figures orcombination of figures corresponding to those on the lower edge of IOOthe swinging surface B. Each of these compartments in the check-receiveris placed immediately beneath the corresponding compartment of thehopper E in such a manner that as the check leaves the hopper and fallsthrough the slot in the board b" it will drop into the correspondingcompartment of the check-receiver R.

It is advisable not to have the check-receiver opened by the clerk orperson in charge of. the business, and in order to of. that part of themoney-drawer l place the locking device T T on each side of the lowerledge of the cabinet, in the forward part ofthe cabinet, which is a boltextending through the lower ledge of the cabinet (see Fig. 5) and comingin contact with the side of the drawer. The side of the drawer D isprovided with a shoulder at a sufficient distance back of the front ofthe drawer to allow the forward section of the drawer D to be drawn outa'sufiicient distance to use the money-receiving part of the drawer.Then it comes in contact with the bolt J, preventing its being drawn outto a greater distance when said bolt T is in the position shown in Fig.5. By means of an ordinary look placed in the lowerledge of the cabinet,by the sideI of the bolt T, the bolt a of the lock may be caused to passinto the opening w in the sideof the bol-t T, holding the bolt T firmlyand securely in position.

In order. to prove the amount of sales made, the bolts T T them, and thecheeks found in the compartments of the check-receiver counted, thenumber in each compartment multiplied by the figures painted upon thatcompartment, which is the value of each check found therein, and thetotal amount of the sales may be thus computed, which should correspondwith the amount of cash in the drawer D.

' The checks which I usually employ in the operation of my device aremade of celluloid, bone, or ivory, or other suitable substance, and arewhite, or nearly so, in color, and have no figures or letters upon them,that being unnecessary when the figures are painted upon the glass wherethe amounts are displayed. llowever, I do not intend to limit myself tothc use of blank checks, nor 'to the use of figures painted upon glassin the face of the cabinet, since it is apparent that by placing thefigures on the check-s and leaving the glass unpainted the amount of thecheck would be displayed, although not in so satisfactory a manner,possibly, because the checks maybe turned in their passage .from thesurface l'linto the hopper E in such a manner 'that the figures wouldnot be shown inv their proper position.. v

I .do not limit myself to the glass covering C, attached to the narrowvertical projections along the lower edge of the surface B, since Icould place an opaque Asubstance in the position occupied by the glassC, and paint the figures on the face of that substance.

*A very material part of myinvention is'the prevent the openingmay betaken out by unlocking,

of' said swinging surface,

arrangementof the hopper-E in such a manner that the checks-in thehopper pass outby the check into the machine, and the amount of theSecond saleI is not displayed until the check denoting the first haspassed from sight and an alarm'has ceased to ring, and it then remainsin the hopper beyond the control of the person in charge of a place ofbusiness, and in plain sight until another sale is to be hldicated..TIhere-is-no opportunitytotamper with the checks after they have enteredthe slot in the plate Y, after they have been placed in theirproperdivision of .the lower ledge ot the surface B, and before they haveentered that slot thealarm is sounded and continues to ring until theyhave passed therein, calling the attention of the customer to the checkand reducing to a mipimum the opportunities for defrauding.

My invention is extremely simple in its construction, inexpensive,positive in its operation, and vdoes'the work required of it in anextremely satisfactory manner.

VhatI claim 'as my invention, and desire to `secure by Letters Patent,is*v 1. In a check receiver andindrijcator, acab'y inet provided 'with-aswinging surface'secnral by hinges atitjs upper. edge' tot-heframe ofthe cabinet, said.- swinging 'surface forming -the upper portionof thefront'of the cabinet and provided-'alongiits lower edgewith a sereS ofdivisionsformed by vert-'realentwardlyprojecting partitions, saidpartitions connected by a narrow strip, a plate secured to a horizontalledge placed beneath-'said swingingsurface and Hush witlithe-exteriorsurface of said-narrow strip,sa`id plate provided with a seriesof slotsplaced inthe rear of said 'swinging surface,corresponding in position tothe divisions contained along the edge with a receptacle placed beneathsaid series of slots, and provided with compartments separated byvertical parti'lihns, said compartments corre- I sponding ini-positionto the slots in said hori- 'zontal plategiwith a transparent face placedvin the frontof said cabinet immediately bei fore each of saidcompartments contained in said receptacle, all substantially asdescribed, and for the purpose as set forth.

2. In a check receiver and indicator, a cabinet provided with an upperSwingin g su rfacc secured by hinges at its upper edge to thc frame ofthe cabinet, and provided along its lower edge with a series ofdivisions formed by vertical outwardly-projecting partitions, saidpartitions connected by a narrow strip, a plate provided with a seriesof slots secured to the horizontal ledge placed beneath said swingingsurface, said slots being placed in the rear of said swinging surface,correspondingV in position to the divisions-along the edge of saidsurface, with a receptacle placed beneath said series oi' slots andprovided with compartments separated by vertical partitions, said'.compartmcuts corresponding in same movement which introduces another'position to the slots in said horizontal plate, an. inwardly-projectinghorizontal bar attached to the interior face of said swinging surface,itsend connected by a chain to the dog, secured to the side of thecabinet and resting in a notch placed in the tcp of the side of themoney-drawer, the inwardly-pio jecting bar attached to the interior faceof said swinging surface carrying the stud :attached byconnecting-straps to the horizontal portion of t-he receptacle, placedbeneath the series of slots in the said horizontal plate, said verticalrod provided with a lower horizontal portion attached to a spiralspring, said spiral spring secured to the bottom of the cabinet,substantially as described, and for the purpose as set forth.

3. In a check receiver and indicator, a cabinet provided with an upperswinging` surface secured by hinges at its upper edge in the frame ofthe cabinet and provided along its lower edge with a seriescf divisionsformed by vertical outwardly-projecting partitions, said partitionsconnected by a. narrow strip, a

J plate provided with a series of slots secured to the horizontal ledgeplaced beneath said swingingsurface, said slots being placed in the rearof the said swinging surface, corresponding in position to the divisionsalong theedge of said surface, with a receptacle placed beneath saidseries of slots, and provided with compartments separated by verticalpartitions, said compartments corresponding in position to the slots insaid horizontal plate, an inwardly-projecting horizontal bar attached tothe interior face of said swinging surface, its end connected by a chainto the dog, secured to the side of the cabinet and resting n a notchplaced in the top of the side of the money-drawer, the inwardly-projectin g bar attached to theinterior face of said swinging surfacecarrying the stud attached to the end of the vvertical rod, saidvertical rod attached by connecting-straps to the horizontal portion ofthe receptacle placed beneath a series of slots in said horizontalplate, said vertical rod provided with a lower horizontal portionattached to a spiral spring, said spiral spring secured to the bottoniof the cabinet, a metallicvplate attached to said swinging surface, smidmetallic plate connected by a wire to an electric bell, said electricbell secured to the rear frame of the cabinet and connected to one ofthe poles of the battery, the opposite pole of the battery connectedwith a connecting-plate placed in such a position in referen ce to themetallic plate attached to the swinging surface that when the swingingsurface is forcedA backward the metallic plates come in contact, allsubstantially as described. l,

4. In a check receiver and indicator, a conibination of a cabinet A,providedwith a rcceptacle E, attached by hinges to the horizontal bar o,extending across the cabinet from onefside to the other, having a lowersurface 'm in contact with the face of the cabinet when said'receptacleis in its normal position, when oscillated having its upper surface n incontact with said face, with atransparent plate M placed ,in theexterior face of the cabinet iinmediatey in frontof said receptacle E,all substantially as described.

5. In a check receiver and indicator, a coinbination of a cabinet A,providedwith a drawer D, containing a transverse partition U, extendingacross said drawer, theI rear sectionR of said drawer divided intocompartments by ineans of` a series of vertical partitions, with alock-bolt-"l passingA through the ledge Q of said cabinet and coming incontact with the top of the side of said drawer D,a nd

engaging with the shoulder in the top of the side of said drawenwith thespring O attached to the rear of the lower part of the frame 4of thecabinet A in contact with the rear portion of said drawer D when saiddrawer D is closed, the top of the side of said drawer being providednear its rear cnd with a shoulder N,in cont-act with the dogL when saiddraweris closed, all substantially as described.

EDWARD C. MEHLECK.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK W. CAMERON, LEROY L; GAMERON.

